Vasco Horta still loves the buzz of the deal: Agent Spotlight 

For Vasco Horta, “people first” is more than Zest Realty’s tagline.

It’s what has kept him in real estate for two decades.

Vasco came to the industry after a long career in sales, marketing and small business ownership. Property had always been part of his life, from buying his first home in his early twenties to renovating, investing, subdividing and building his own designer home.

But turning that interest into a career came later, after a friend and former business contact encouraged him to take the next step.

At first, the plan was for Vasco to use his background in sales and training to help recruit and develop agents.

Instead, on the day he joined, he found out the business had been sold, which left him with a real estate Registration and no job.

It wasn’t the path he expected, but it became the career he never regretted.

“I had to back myself, get out there and build something from it,” Vasco said.

“That’s how I got into real estate, but I’ve never regretted it since.”

Helping people make their next move

Vasco started selling around Bicton and Palmyra, an area he knows well. He lived in Bicton since 1984, bought his first property there, and raised his family there.

Today, his work is less about having a defined patch and more about the relationships built over many years.

“All of my work is referral work,” he said.

“I pick up my listings from referrals and meeting people at home opens.”

That long-term approach reflects the way Vasco sees real estate. While property is at the centre of every transaction, he said the work is really about people, their circumstances and what they need from their next move.

“I have a genuine interest in people, where they’re at, how they got there and where their life is going from this point,” Vasco said.

For him, helping someone buy or sell is rarely only about the property. It can be about a growing family, a separation, a change in finances, downsizing, grief or a new start.

And for those considering a career in real estate, his advice is simple: understand what the job really involves.

“It’s a great career, and it presents a lot of opportunities,” he said.

“But it isn’t as simple as people think from the outside looking in. This is all about people.”

He said agents often support clients through emotional moments, even when that support doesn’t lead to immediate business.

“A lot of the time we’re psychologists, a lot of the time we’re marriage counsellors,” he said.

“And a lot of the time we’ve just got to be there for people when there’s no business to be had.”

That understanding also shapes the way Vasco thinks about the sales process.

He believes buyers don’t make decisions on property alone.

“People buy homes emotionally,” he said.

“It’s about understanding what matters to people and helping them see whether the home is the right fit for them.”

New checks for buyers and sellers

From 1 July 2026, real estate agents will be required to carry out customer due diligence on buyers and sellers under new Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing obligations.

This will include verifying identity and may involve other checks required under the legislation.

For sellers, these checks will be carried out when listing a property for sale. A property will not be able to be advertised until customer due diligence is complete.

For buyers, customer due diligence will need to be completed once an offer to purchase a property is accepted.

Vasco said for most residential clients, the changes were unlikely to feel dramatic.

“For most people, I don’t think it will feel like a major change,” he said.

“It will be another step in the process, and the agent will help guide them through what is needed.”

For Vasco, it is another change in the sales process, but one that can be managed with clear communication and the right preparation.